Friction buffer and drawhead



July 16, 1940. v. wlLLoUGHBY FRICTION BUFFER AND DRAWHEAD 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 1, 1937 -H wif,

July 16, 1940. v. wlLLouGHBY FRICTION BUFFER ND DRAWHEAD -3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1937 July 16, 1940. v. WILLOLMSHBY 2,208,238

FRICTION BUFFER AND DRAWHEAD my www? ATTORNEY 'Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE FRIcTIoN BUFFER AND DRAWHEAD Application July 1, 1937, Serial No. 151,507

14 Claims.

This invention relates in general to friction type buffers and drawheads for railway cars and in particular to a combined friction and spring drawhead and buffer for use with mine or other industrial cars. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in the past in attempting to obtain suiiicient spring capacity within the limited space permitted in draft gear for mine cars. It is an object, therefore, of this invention to provide a compact arrangement which will absorb both draft and buii shocks.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a friction type spring buffer and drawhead in which the wedge elements move trans- ]5 versely of the vehicle against coil springs.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a friction type buffer and drawhead construction which may be readily applied or removed from the car.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the 25 improved buffer and drawhead arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with portions of the bumper broken away to more clearly disclose the construction;

3@ Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line t-d of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the friction 35 wedge housing; l

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the form shown in Fig. 6 with portions of the bumper broken 4@ away to more clearly disclose the construction;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing a slight f modification in the construction of the bumper 5 of Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that the car is provided with Z-bar side sills 2 to which the cast metal end member is rigidly 50 secured. This member in the present instance is formed with a rear horizontal portion 3 to which the oor is secured, an upwardly and outwardly inclined lading deiiector portion 4 merging into an upper horizontal portion 5, which in turn 55 merges with the central portion of a vertical wall 6. This vertical wall is suitably braced to the inclined portions by means of lower gussets 'I and upper gussets B. It is formed at its upper and lower edges and ends with outwardly directed anges I0, II and I2 respectively, the latter being 5 secured to the side sills. The lower portion of the end wall vertical member 6 is formed with slots or openings I4 therein intermediate the lower bracing gussets l and intermediate these gussets and the end flanges I2 and these openings serve not only to lighten the casting but also provide attaching and guide means for the friction wedge housings now to be described.

In the present instance two identical friction housings are provided one at either side of the central plane of the end construction. Each housing is cast preferably in one piece with a central box-like portion I5 on the rear walls of which are cast a rearwardly projecting retaining hook I6, an abutment pad II and positioning lug I8, while on the opposite or what may be termed forward wall is cast an embossment through which a hole 2I may be bored in order to receive a bolt or pin later to be referred to. The ends of the box-like central portion of this wedge housing are open in order that the wedge member 22 may be slidably received therein as well as one end of spring 24, the other end of which bears against the end flange and is retained in position by positioning lug 26. Each wedge is formed substantially as a box member with one end resting upon its spring and the other end formed with diverging bufiing and draft friction surfaces 21 and 28 respectively. When in position these friction surfaces are directed toward each other and will engage complementa] converging friction surfaces 29 and 30 respectively formed upon friction block 32 adapted to receive the buflng and draft strains applied to the car. The friction block is formed as a casting with the friction surfaces at its rear portion and a bumper engaging face 33 at its forward portion suitably braced to the friction surfaces and to an intermediate enlargement 34 through which theY coupling or draft pin 36 may be inserted.

The coupler pin passes not only through the friction block but also through the bumper B and the upper and lower flanges of the end member, the latter of which are provided with openings 31 to permit relative movement of the coupling pin with respect to the end member. The bumper and drawhead element is formed as a single pressing substantially S-shaped in vertical cross section and having upper, intermediate and lower -substantially horizontal portions 40, 4I 55 and 42 respectively, with the upper and intermediate portions joined at their inner edge by vertical web 44, thus forming a draft pocket,

' while the intermediate and lower portions are joined at their forward or outer edges by vertical web 46 forming the bumper face, which is preferably curved as is customary.

In assembling this construction the friction wedge housings with their associated spring and friction wedges are applied by inserting the hook I6 through the central slot I4 and into engagement with the vertical wall 6, after which the friction block 32 may be inserted between the friction wedges, thus temporarily retaining the parts in position. With the parts in this temporary position the S-shaped bumper and draft element will be slid into position and bolts 48 inserted, which bolts extend through the upper and lower flanges of the end member and through the hole 2| of the friction wedge housing, thus securely retaining the friction wedge housing in position and also retaining the bumper and draft member, since these bolts extend through slotted openings in the horizontal portions l and of the end member. With the bumper and draft element retained in position the coupling pin maybe inserted rigidly uniting the friction block to the bumper and draft element for transmission of strain to the friction wedges. If desired and to make coupling easier, the friction block may\,\be connected to the draft and buiiing member by any suitable means such as by riveting or welding or by means of a pin. The operation of the device is believed to'be obvious but attention is directed to the fact that the slots in the bumper permitting movement relative to the bolts 48 are of such length as to check inward or outward movement of the bumper before the friction block could be forced from between the friction wedges, and also to the fact that the slots in the upper and lower flanges I0 and of the end member are of proper length to prevent excessive movement of the draft member.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8- respectively, it will be seen that the end member has been slightly modied and is shown as attached to a car using vbulb angle side sills 50. The end member in this form is cast in one piece and has a floor receiving portion an upwardly and outwardly directed lading deiiector portion 52 and an upper horizontal portion 53, the latter merging with a vertical wall 54 to which the end sheets may be attached. The vertical wall merges at its lower edge with a lower substantially horizontal flange 56 suitably braced by rib 51 which is a projection of intermediate bracing rib 58. The end member is also formed with an upper horizontal ange 60 suitably braced to the end wall by gussets 6| and having the central part thereof removed in order toaccommodate the draft housing later to be described. End Walls 62 are also cast integral with the end member and provide a means by which the member may be secured to the side sills preferably inward of their ends in order to provide a space for the friction blocks 63. Each of these friction blocks is of angular formation having vertical walls 64 and 65 by means of which they may be secured to the end member and side sills and are also formed with upper end lower end walls 66 and 61' providing additional connection to the upper and lower flanges of the end member.

Each friction block is also formed with an outstanding portion providing draft and buffing friction surfaces 68 and 68 adapted to cooperate with similar surfaces and 1| formed on the ends of friction wedges 12. These friction wedges are of substantially hollow box formation and have the end opposite the friction surfaces formed to engage one end of a spring 14, the other end of which engages a floating separator block 16.

The friction wedges, springs and separating block are movably carried within a box-like housing 11 cast integral with the combined bumper and draft element 18. This element is formed With an outer curved buffing face joined to a rear vertical wall 19 by upper and lower webs 80 and 8| respectively which are joined intermediate therewith by a vertical wall 62, thus forming the box-like housing for the wedge elements as previously referred to. The central `portion of the rear wall is extended upwardy as at 83 and then horizontally outward as at 84 to provide a draft pocket across which coupling pin 85 may extend into engagement with the upper and lower flanges of the bulng head. Due to the location of the draft pocket above the bufling head an eccentric strain will be applied and to prevent any rotational movement of the coupler a rearwardly extending ledge or projection 86 is provided which will slidably engage under the portion 53 of the end member, such engagement being permitted by provision of an opening 81 in the vertical wall 54 of the end member and through which the ledge'86 extends.

In assembling this device the end member and one of the friction blocks will be securely and rigidly attached to the sidek sills, after which the bumper and draft element with the friction wedges and springs will be inserted in position. With the draft and buffer element and its associated parts in position, the other friction block will be inserted and rigidly attached to the car, thus holding the draft and buffer element for movement relative to the end member. The operation of this device is substantially the same as that described in connection with Figure 1 with the exception that the parts are differently placed causing the friction wedges to move toward each other instead of away from each other.

In certain cases it may be desirable to lighten the bumper casting and this may be done as shown by Fig. 9 in which like parts have been referred to by the same numerals as used in the description of Figs. 6 to 8. In this form the bufling head 90 is made as a steel pressing having upper and lower flanges 9| and 92 respectively welded as at W to the friction wedge housing and draft element. In this form the draft element and friction wedge housing will be of the same form as that previously described with the exception that the upper and lower webs 80 and 8| will be terminated at the connecting wall 82.

Each of the constructions described may be readily adjusted to compensate for wear by merely adding shims at the ends of the springs. In the form shown in Fig. 1 these shims may be inserted between the spring and the end walls of the end member, while in the form shown in Fig. 6 the shims may be added between the spring and the floating separator, or if desired a separator of greater thickness may be inserted.

While the constructions have been described more or less in detail, it is obvious that various modifications and rearrangements of parts will be apparent and all such modifications andr rearrangements of parts are contemplated as fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member, means rigidly connected to the end member and having friction surfaces formed thereon, a buffer and drawhead element supported by the end member, means carried by said element and having friction surfaces adapted to engage the first mentioned friction surfaces. and resilient means urging said friction surfaces into engagement to yieldingly resist buillng and draft forces applied to the element.

2. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member, means rigidly connected to the member and being formed with converging faces providing fixed friction surfaces, a buffer and drawhead element supported by the end member, said element being formed with a housing, friction wedges carried in the housing and having friction surfaces complementa] with and engaging said fixed friction surfaces, and resilient means carried by the housing between said wedges, said resilient means urging the friction surfaces into engagement to yieldingly resist bufng and draft forces applied to the element.

3. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member, fixed friction blocks rigidly connected to the end member and providing fixed converging friction surfaces, a buffer and drawhead element supported by the end member, friction wedges carried by said element and being formed with friction surfaces complemental with and engaging said fixed friction surfaces, resilient means located between the wedges and urging the same toward the friction blocks whereby the friction surfaces are maintained in engagement to resist the longitudinal movements of the element.

4. A car end structure including an inclined wall portion forming a lading deflector and a vertical Wall portion formed with guide slots, a buffer and drawhead element carried by said end structure, said buffer and drawhead element being longitudinally shiftable under bufling and draft forces, a combined spring and friction retarder for resisting the longitudinal movement of said buffer and drawhead element, and means including projections carried by said retarder and cooperating with said guide slots for limiting the movement of the retarder.

5. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member, a vertical Wall formed with guide slots, housing means having projections extending from one wall for arrangement in said guide slots, wedges having friction faces, slidably carried by said housing means, springs partially positioned in said housing means and urging the wedges inwardly towards the longitudinal center line of the car, a buffer and drawhead element movably supported by the end member, said buffer and drawhead element being longitudinally shiftable under bufiing and draft forces, elements formed with friction faces complementa-l to the friction faces of said wedges and cooperating therewith, and means for imparting the movement of the buffer and drawhead element to said slidable wedges whereby movement of said buffer and drawhead is retarded during its longitudinal shifting.

6. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member, a combined buffer and drawhead element supported by the end member and adapted to receive bulng and draft forces, a combined spring andfriction retarder. said retarder including friction faced wedge members so arranged as to be immovable longitudinally of the car to receive said buff and draft forces, and also including friction faced wedge members movable longitudinally of the car to .transmit said buff and draft forces, lsaid last named wedge members being carried by said combined buffer and drawhead element and engaging said first named wedge members and being movable therewith for transmitting said buff and draft forces, and spring means urging said friction faced wedge members into cooperative engagement to resist longitudinal movements of said element, certain of said friction faces absorbing the buff forces, while certain other of said friction faces absorb the draft forces.

7. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member, means carried by the end member having inwardly directed friction surfaces converging toward the longitudinal center line of the car, a combined buffer and drawhead element for receiving buiing and draft forces supported by said end member, outwardly directed friction surfaces carried by said combined element and diverging toward the sides of the car, certain of said friction surfaces being arranged for cooperation to resist buing forces and other of said friction faces cooperating to resist draft forces, and spring means for urging said friction surfaces into normal engagement.

8. A buffer and drawhead arrangement in combination with a car end member, means carried by seaid car end member having inwardly directed friction faces converging toward the longitudinal center line of the car, said means being longitudinally immovable relative to the car, a combined buffer and drawhead element for receiving buiiing and draft forces and supported by the end member, said buffer and drawhead element being longitudinally shiftable under bufiing and draft forces, outwardly directed friction surfaces carried by said combined element, and spring means urging said friction surfaces into engagement whereby the longitudinal movement of said combined buffer and drawhead element is yieldingly resisted.

9. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member having a vertical wall formed with guide slots, housing means carried by the end member and provided with projections for arrangement in said guide slots, friction wedge members having friction faces slidably carried by the housing means, springs located adjacent each side of the end member and urging the wedge members inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the car, a combined buffer and drawhead element formed with friction faces carried by said combined element and normally positioned between said wedges, said buffer and drawhead element being longitudinally shiftable under builing and draft forces, whereby the movement of said combined element under buifing and draft forces is resiliently and frictionally resisted.

10. A buffer and drawhead arrangement for mine cars comprising in combination with a car end member having a vertical wall formed with guide slots, housing means removably carried by the end member, wedges having friction faces slidably carried by the housing means, said housing means being provided with retaining means arranged in said guide slots for securing the housing means in position on the end members, springs located adjacent each side o'f the end member and urging the wedges inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the car, a combined buffer and drawhead element supported on the end member for longitudinal movement under bufng and draft forces, a friction block having friction faces carried and movable with said combined element, the friction faces of said block being in engagement with the friction faces of said wedges whereby the movement o f said combined element under buffing and draft forces is frictionally and resiliently resisted.

l1. A car end structure including an inclined wall portion forming a lading defiector and a vertical wall portion formed with a guide slot, a housing having a projection arranged in said guide slot, spaced members having friction faces slidably carried within said housing, a wedge having friction faces complemental with the friction faces of each spaced members and cooperating therewith, spring means urging the friction faces of said spaced members and wedges into cooperative engagement, a buffer and drawhead element carried by the end member and longitudinally movable under buffing and draft forces, and a connection between the buffer and drawhead element and at least one of said friction faced members whereby the longitudinal movement-of the buffer and drawhead element under bufiing and draft forces is resisted.

12. A car end structure including a vertical end wall portion formed with an opening, a housing having a hook-like projection extending into and engaging the wall of said opening to retain said housing in position with respect to said wall, slidable members having inclined friction faces in said housing, a buffer and drawhead element supported by said end structure for longitudinal movement under bufilng and draft forces, portions of said buffer and drawhead element including inclined friction faces for cooperative engagement with the friction faces of said slidable member, and spring means normally urging the friction faces into contact whereby buiiing and draft movements are resisted.

13. A car end structure including a wall portion formed with an elongated opening, a sectional housing, each section being provided with hooked extensions adapted to be inserted through said elongated opening for engagement with the wall thereof upon lateral movement of said sections whereby said sections are supported with respect to said wall, friction wedge members having friction faces slidably carried in said housing sections, a combined buffer and drawhead element formed with friction faces for cooperation with the friction faces of said wedges, said buffer and drawhead element being longitudinally shiftable under bufElng and draftforces, means for locking said housing sections against movement when said hook members are in engagement with the wall portions, and spring means for urging the friction faces of said wedge members into normal frictional engagement with the frictional faces of said combined element.

14. A car end structure comprising in part a horizontal wall portion and a vertical wall portion formed with an opening therein, a buffer and drawhead element carried by said end structure, a combined spring and friction retarder including a housing provided with guide means arranged in said opening and cooperating with said horizontal wall portion to control tilting of said housing, and friction faced wedge members secured to said end structure and other friction faced wedge members carried by said housing, and spring means urging said friction faced wedge members into cooperative engagement to resist the longitudinal movements of said .element.

VICTOR WILLOUGHBY. 

